First description of the female of <i>Calamaria andersoni</i> Yang & Zheng, 2018 (Squamata, Calamariidae), with an expanded diagnosis.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Calamaria andersoni Yang & Zheng, 2018, was originally described from a single adult male collected in Dehong Prefecture, Yunnan Province, China. Until now, no female specimens had been reported, limiting understanding of sexual dimorphism and diagnostic variation. Based on newly collected material from Mangshi City and Lianghe County, we identified five males and one female as C. andersoni through morphological comparisons and mitochondrial cytochrome b gene analysis.

New information

We provide the first morphological description of the female and revise the species diagnosis based on both sexes. The female is distinguishable by a higher number of ventrals and fewer subcaudals. Genetic data confirmed all specimens as belonging to a well-supported cl

SUBMITTER: Zhang T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12723395 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature